Device for adjusting a type carrier in teletype or data teletype machines



June 23, 1970 REKEWlTz ET AL 3,517,124

DEVICE FOR ADJUSTING A TYPE CARRIER IN TELETYPl-l OR DATA TELETYPE MACHINES Filed Jan. 31, 1968 Shoots-Sheet 1 Fig.1

June 23, 1970 R W -rz ET AL 3,517,124

DEVICE FOR ADJUSTING A TYPE CARRIER IN TELETYIE OR DATA TELETYPE MACHINES Filed Jan. 31, 1968 r :3 Sheets-Sheet a INVENTQRS Fad 0 PekewV/Z States Patent -Y 3,517,124 DEVICE FOR ADJUSTING A TYPE CARRIER IN TELETYPE OR DATA TELETYPE MACHINES Rudolf Rekewitz and Dietmar Horeth, Munich, Germany, assignors to Siemens Aktiengesellschaft, a corporation of Germany Filed Jan. 31, 1968, Ser. No. 701,947 Claims priority, application Germany, Feb. 27, 1967, S 108,532 Int. Cl. H041 17/24 U.S. Cl. 178-34 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Apparatus for adjusting the type carrier of a Teletype or like machine into any one of three positions in response to a two step binary code. The apparatus includes a permanently driven shaft having a pair of cams concentrically mounted on the shaft and clutch means for causing the cams to rotate with the shaft during selected intervals. The clutches stop the cams in one of two positions. Lever arms co-act with the cams to form an aggregate motion lever gear which, in turn, controls the various positions of the type carrier.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention This invention relates generally to a device for adjusting the position of the type carriers in Teletype machines or data Teletype machines. The device of the present invention will position the type carrier in any one of three possible positions in response to the reception of a code combination such as two steps of a binary code.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART The development of devices for positioning a type carrier has indicated a need for an increased number of positions. This is evident from the fact that the number of symbols to be printed at a Teletype receiving machine, and the number of other groups of symbols which are designated as command symbols has increased. The command signals are actuated upon the reception at the receiving station of certain coded information, which produces functions such as line shift, carriage return and the like. In the well known telegraph code number No. 2 there is an inadequate number of components which precludes the possibility of expanding the number of symbols which can be transmitted and received. Accordingly, the telegraph code system has been expanded to include seven code steps. The structure of the new seven step code has been selected in such a manner that code symbols can be formed in four blocks. Three of these blocks are assigned to the operation of printing symbols, and the remaining one block contains code symbols for actuating certain machine functions. That is, one block of the code can be assigned to print capital letters, a second block of the code can be assigned to print lower case letters, and a third block of the code assigned to numerals and punctuation symbols. The fourth coded block contains coded symbols which are assigned to merely issue a command to release or operate certain machine functions.

The basic requirements of operation of type carrier adjusting devices lead to the demand for adjustable gears which make it possible to move a type carrier quickly and reliably from any one of the three positions to any other of the three positions. Furthermore, it is desirable that the type carrier respond to only two coded steps, so as to be steered by steps six and seven of the conventional seven step code telegraph system.

3,517,124 Patented June 23, 1970 To accomplish moving a type carrier into more than three positions in response to a two binary code step it is found advantageous to use aggregate motion gears. With the aid of such known aggregate motion gears it is possible to position the type carrier, or other device, into one of four possible positions in response to two code steps. Therefore, it is qiute possible that by using the known aggregate motion gears mentioned above, it is possible to position a type carrier in one of three possible positions in the same manner. This is accomplished by suppressing the setting position which is obtainable by the combination of the two code steps assigned to the command symbol. This causes little difficulty as the command signal does not represent a symbol to be printed, but merely indicates a machine function.

However, in actual operation the above approach f r providing three positions for a type carrier is not economically practical. This is evident from the fact that it would cost as much to provide three positions for the type carrier as to provide four positions for the type carrier. This expense is still further increased because means must be provided which prevents a setting into the available fourth position. If the suppression of the adjustability into the fourth position is not accomplished, even further unfavorable conditions of the drive unit would result. That is, on account of the movement of the type carrier into a fourth, and further extreme position, during the same time interval. In order to attain this the drive mechanism must be more powerful and faster acting so as to move the type carrier quickly with a minimum amount of delay.

A type group change installation for sheet Teletype machines for direct shifting at will to one of three type groups with form-lockingly eccentric-coupled adjustment members has been disclosed, which is characterized by the fact that a scale beam-like coupler is eccentrically con-- nected on the one hand with the means adjustable to one of the three positions, and on the other hand at its end formlockingly with two adjustment members connectable independently and rotating with limitation by ratchets (German Display Copy 1,155,474).

It is a disadvantage in this arrangement that the two eccentric drives cannot be arranged on a single common axis, as they must be placed on two separate drive shafts rotating in opposite directions, due to the operating characteristics of the device. Furthermore, for friction-free operation it is necessary that the distance of both drive shafts be selected as large as possible to avoid twists at the beam-like coupling and the driven member.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, the invention is directed to creating an aggregate motion gear which makes it possible to derive three positions for a type carrier from detecting only two positions of two separate elements. Additionally, the present invention is directed to a new and simple aggregate motion gear design. Briefly, the appaartus of this invention includes a common permanently driven shaft which has a pair of cams arranged on the shaft and selectively rotatable with the shaft in response to associated slipper clutches. The slipper clutches stop the cams in one of two positions. The cams co-act with first and second lever arms. The first lever arm is pivotably movable about a fixed axis. The second lever arm is pivotally carried by the first lever arm intermediate its ends and, in turn, is connected with the type carrier so as to displace the type carrier into a desired position. The first lever arm is placed into one of two setting positions by pivoting said first lever about a fixed axis by its cam. The second lever arm will move the type carrier into the desired position when the first lever arm is in one of its two positions, and will not move the type carrier when in the other of its two positions.

In accordance with the principles of the present invention the apparatus disclosed provides means which make it possible to utilize a single driven shaft and to design an aggregate motion gear in a desirable and simple manner.

According to a preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention the axis of the second lever can be selected into any one of two setting positions by the position of a first lever arm positioned by its cam.

According to a second preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention the axis of the second lever is adjustable by the action of a second cam. The amount of adjustment has the same relation to the setting stroke of the first cam and corresponds to the length between the pivoting axis and the lever and the type carrier and the length of the second lever.

Both embodiments disclosed herein provide unique and novel means for obtaining three distinct positions for a type carrier by utilizing only two driven cams, and which cams are mounted for rotation on a common shaft.

Other objects, features and advantages will be more fully realized and understood when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals throughout the various views of the drawings are intended to designate similar elements or components.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of the pivots, levers and cams arranged in accordance with the principles of this invention, with the cams shown on parallel spaced axes, for illustrative purposes;

FIG. 2 shows one form of a type carrier positioner constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention; and

FIG. 3 shows an alternate arrangement of an aggregate motion lever gear where the pivoting axis of the lever which sets the type carrier is adjustable vertically to the setting position and in the adjustment plane of the lever.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 schematically illustrates the principles of the present invention, while FIG. 2 shows a detailed form of aggregrate motion lever gear constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention. In FIG. 2, two eccentric cams 2 and 3 are freely mounted on a continuously driven shaft 1 to be rotatably driven by said shafts in cycles of 180. The eccentric cams 2 and 3 are herein shown as being identical. The rotary motion of the shaft 1 is transmitted to the eccentric cams 2 and 3 via corresponding friction clutches 4 and 5. Associated with the clutch 4 are two vertically spaced stop levers 6 and 7 disposed above and below the cam, and associated with the friction clutch is a similar pair of stop levers 8 and 9. The stop levers 6, 7 and 8, 9 interrupt the transmission of rotary motion from the shaft 1 to the respective eccentric cams 2 and 3. For example, the stop lever 6, as shown in FIG. 2, is pivoted into the area of an extension 10 which protrudes from the surface of the clutch 4 and catches or seizes the extension 10 to stop rotation of the clutch which, in turn, causes the cam 2 to assume a predetermined position. When the stop lever 6 is released from engaging the extension 10, the friction clutch 4 will rotate such that the extension 10 engages the stop lever 7 which is positioned to cause the extension to rotate 180 from the first stop position. This action will cause the cam 2 to be positioned in a second predetermined position. The stop levers 6, 7 and 8, 9 are spring biased toward the respective cams and are controlled by receiver means, not shown, for receiving the proper coded information corresponding to either type characters or machine functions.

Lever arms 11 and 12 are shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 as pivoted intermediate their ends, the lever arm 11 forming a movable pivotal support for the lever arm 12. The respective lever arms 11 and 12 shown in FIG. 2 have openended slots 11 and 12 at the same ends thereof forming in effect cross-heads slidably engaging the respective cams 2 and 3. Said cams are selectively connected with the drive shaft 1 by the respective clutches 4 and 5 in a conventional manner, to position the ends of said lever arms opposite the open-ended slots 11 and 12 about their pivotal axes into any one of two positions.

The lever arm 11 is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 as a bell crank, and is pivoted intermediate its ends on a stationary shaft 13. A pivot shaft 14 is supported at the upper end of said lever arm 11 and forms a pivot for the lever arm 12, intermediate the ends of said lever arm. The opposite end of the lever arm 12 from the slot 12 is shown as having a drive pin 12 extending transversely thereof, within a slot 9 on a shifting arm 9 for moving the type carrier 15 into its three set positions. The shifting arm 9 is shown as pivoted intermediate its ends on a transverse shaft 9. Said shifting arm and the connection from said shifting arm to the type carrier 15 and to the lever arm 12 may be of any conventional form and is no part of the present invention so need not herein be shown or described further.

In FIG. 1 diagramamtically illustrating the principles of the invention, the stationary shaft 13 is shown as disposed beneath the pivot pin 14 for the lever arm 12 and a radial line extending through the center of the shaft 13 and the shaft 14 is shown as extending generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the lever arm 12 when the lever arm 11 is in one position A' In this position, rotation of the cam 3 from the solid line position shown in FIG. 1 to the dotted line position shown in this figure will displace the type carrier 15 from a position E to a position C. When the eccentric cam 2 moves the lever arm 11 into a second position B the terminal end of the lever arm 12 will be moved by the lever arm 11 into position D. Upon return movement of the lever arm 11 from position B to position A, with the cam 3 moving into the solid line position shown in FIG. 1, the lever arm 12 will be returned to a perpendicular position relative to the lever arm 11.

In the disclosures of FIGS. 1 and 2, the lever arm 11 sets the pivot 14 for the lever arm 12 into two positions. In one position of the lever arm 11 when moving from a generally vertical position to the second position, as the cam 3 also moves the lever arm 12 about the axis of the pivot pin 14, the terminal end of said lever arm 12 will stay in the same position. Movement of the lever arm 11 from one position to the other will also move the terminal end of the lever arm 12 into one of its two positions. In the other position of the lever arm 12 rotation of the cam 3 in a clockwise direction will move the terminal end of said lever arm 12 from a neutral into another position of the three positions of said lever arm. The cams 2 and 3 and lever arms 11 and 12 thus cooperate to effect movement of the termnial end of the lever 12 into three positions and thereby move the type carrier 15 into a selected of its three positions in response to a code combination of two steps of a binary code.

FIG. 3 shows an alternate form of the invention in which two eccentric earns 16 and 17 are rotatably mounted on a continuous drive shaft 18. The cams 16 and 17 are operatively connected to the shaft 18 to rotate in cycles of by suitable clutches in the same manner as the cams 2 and 3 are driven from the shaft 1, and stop mechanisms are provided to stop rotation of the cams at the end of each 180 cycle of rotation, which may be like the stop means 6 and 7 and 8 and 9 of FIG. 2.

A lever arm 19 has a forked end 19 slidably engaging the eccentric arm 16. The opposite end of said lever arm is pivotally mounted on a fixed pivot shaft 20. A pivot shaft 21 is fixedly connected to the lever arm 19 intermediate the ends of said lever arm and extends through a bushing 22 fixedly connected to a lever arm 23 and extending inawrdly therefrom. The shaft 21, therefore, forms a pivot for the lever arm 23. The lever arm 23 has a forked end portion 23 slidably extending along opposite sides of the cam 17 and pivotally moved by said cam about the axis of the shaft 21. The terminal end of the lever arm 23 is shown as having an outwardly opening slot 24 therein, for connection with a type carrier, for positioning the type carrier into a neutral position E and positions F and G on opposite sides of said neutral position, upon rotation of the cam 17 to pivot the lever 23 about the axis of the shaft 21.

In position K of the axis of the shaft 21, rotation of the cam 17 for 180 will pivot the lever arm 23 from position G to position E. As the axis of the shaft 21 is elevated from position K to position L by the cam 16, the lever arm 23 will be correspondingly elevated. As the cam 17 rotates in a clockwise direction from position M to position N, during elevation of the lever arm 19 by the cam 16, the terminal end of the lever arm '23 will remain in position E. The same is true as the cam 17 rotates from position N to position M, as the cam 16 rotates to lower the axis of the pivot shaft 21 from position L to position K. Position E, therefore, may be considered to be -a neutral position. When in position E with the axis of the shaft 21 at L, the terminal end of the lever arm 23 may be raised to position F upon continued rotation of the cam 17. Thus, the earns 16 and 17 and the vertically movable shaft 21 may affect movement of the terminal end portion 24 of the lever arm 23 into position E or positions F and G and hold the type carrier in these positions as the cams are held from rotation.

We claim:

1. In an adjusting mechanism for the type carrier of a Teletype machine and the like, for selectively positioning the type carrier into one of three positions in response to a code combination of two steps of a binary code,

a continuously driven shaft,

first and second cams freely mounted on said shaft,

first and second clutch means on said shaft for selectively connecting said cams to said shaft,

stop means individual to said first and second clutch means to stop each of said first and second cams in each of two predetermined positions,

a first lever arm,

a pivot for said first lever arm mounting said first lever arm for movement about a fixed axis,

said first lever arm having one end engaging said first cam and angularly moved about said axis in opposite directions by rotation of said first cam in a single direction,

a pivot shaft on said first lever arm and positioned into at least two positions by said first lever arm upon movement of said first lever arm about its pivotal axis,

a second lever arm pivotally mounted on said pivot shaft intermediate its end and engaging said second cam at one end and moved about said pivot shaft by said second cam,

said second lever arm having a terminal end portion on the opposite side of said piovt shaft from said cam,

an operative connection between the terminal end portion of said second lever arm and a type carrier,

angular movement of said first lever arm by said first cam moving the terminal end portion of said second lever arm into two positions,

angular movement of said second lever arm by said second cam moving said second lever arm into two positions, and

angular movement of said first lever arm into one of its two positions upon angular movement of said second lever arm attained by angular movement of its cam, having no efiect in movement of the terminal end portion of said second lever arm, and thereby suppressing movement of the terminal end portion of said second lever arm into a fourth position.

2. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1,

wherein the first lever arm is pivoted intermediate its ends and has slidable engagement with said first cam at one of its ends and has an upright lever arm extending upwardly from the pivot of said first lever arm,

wherein the pivot pin for said second lever arm is mounted at the upper end of said upright arm and is moved along an arcuate path from a high position of movement to a lower position,

wherein one end of said second lever arm has slidable engagement with said second cam,

wherein a shifting arm for the type carrier is provided,

wherein the opposite end of said second lever arm from said second cam has slidable and pivotal connection with said shifting arm to move said shifting arm and the type carrier connected thereto into one of three selected positions, and

wherein the relationship between the first and second pivots and an extended line extending from the center of said slide and terminal end of said second lever arm is such that movement of said two cams in the same direction to shift the axis of the second pivot from a first position to a second position and to pivot the second lever arm about the second pivot will maintain said shifting arm in a neutral position.

3. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1,

wherein the first lever arm has an open-ended slot at one end having slidable engagement with the first cam,

wherein a fixed pivot forms a pivotal mounting for said first lever arm,

wherein the pivot shaft for said second lever arm is mounted between said slotted end of said first lever arm and said fixed pivot,

wherein the second lever arm has a slotted end at one end having slidable engagement with said second cam and has "a terminal end adapted to have operative connection with a type carrier for positioning the type carrier into one of three positions, whereby movement of said first lever arm by said first cam to raise or lower the pivot for said second lever arm serves to raise or lower the terminal end of said second lever arm, whereby movement of said second cam when the axis of said pivot is in a lowermost position serves to move said terminal end into another position, and

wherein rotation of said first and second cams simultaneously in the same directions to raise or lower said pivot shaft for said second lever arm and pivot said second lever arm about said pivots maintains the terminal end of said second lever arm in the same position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,548,168 8/1925 Pfannenstiehl 178-34 2,093,873 9/1937 Salmon 178-34 2,459,821 1/1949 Kozma et al. 178-34 3,374,874 3/1968 Rekewitz et al. 178-34 FOREIGN PATENTS 872,516 4/ 1953 Germany.

OTHER REFERENCES German printed application: DAS 1,155,474, Oct. 10,

1963, J. Bleyl et al.

THOMAS A. ROBINSON, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 197-18 

